German bank employees evacuated from building after white powder found

October 3, 2012

Bank employees of the German Deutsche Bank from the office in Schkeuditz near Leipzig had quite the scare this past weekend, according to Reuters. Approximately 40 employees are still undergoing health check ups after a white powder was found in their building.

Nearly 700 people were evacuated from the facility after the powder was discovered in a letter that some of the employees were exposed to. Local police reported the employees who came in contact with the powder were immediately checked out, according to the news source. After the substance was found, police and fireman entered the building with gas masks and protective clothing.

The spokesman from the Deutsche bank said the health of the individuals exposed to the substance is the first priority, and they are doing all they can to help the local police find the source behind the white powder, according to the publication.

A local paper, the Leipziger Volkszeitung, reported in its online edition that the powder in the building may be associated with an ongoing wage dispute, the media outlet reports.

According to Business Insider, when the letter arrived earlier that day, it was assumed that the powder may have gotten its way into the air conditioning system, spreading it across the building. As a result, officials made sure to evacuate the entire facility.

The investigation to discover the source of the white powder is still going on, the news outlet reports.